MK6 GTI - Rattle upon acceleration - Resolved via TPI: 2021062/7

[Sir_GTI]

Well, I have been following the guys at FFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU - VW GTI MKVI Forum / VW Golf R Forum / VW Golf MKVI Forum / VW GTI Forum - Golfmk6.com. And this is what one of them found,

lol so turns out its not the same rattle everyone else has . When I changed the stock exhaust out the position of the cat was moved and when all pieces where put together one of those metal strips (see the red circle) had what I thought was enough clearance, but apparently not. So needless to say the torque from going uphill made the pipe vibrate and hit that plate. I added some washers and spaced it out and bingo no more rattle. It was just weird that the rattle started a few weeks after I had replaced the stock exhaust.



P.S. - the picture is from AWE's website.

Also Check this thred in regards to their temp fix, wheel weights on the actuator rod,

Common rattling noise between 2500-3000rpm cause - VW GTI MKVI Forum / VW Golf R Forum / VW Golf MKVI Forum / VW GTI Forum - Golfmk6.com

[GTI_Adidas]

Hey guys, i know people have been saying its the turbo wastegate, it the exhaust and all this stuff. But today i had a really CLOSE look at where it is. I have found that it is NOT the turbo making the rattle sound, but something down where the exhaust is. But i dont think its the exhaust. If you look under your GTI where the exhaust is, there is a metal sheet that has these little bumps in it, kind of looks like a cheese grater. If you take your nail and run it across it gently it sounds almost the same as the rattle when you accelerate hard. You can push it in abit and it will bend, so its not very strong and will "rattle around" abit. I think its when you rev your car hard, the whole exhaust system is causing this sheet of metal to rattle. I dont know if this is the problem, but im sure its a possibility. Try it your self and see what it sounds like.

GTI_ADIDAS

[Corey_R]

Some people have different rattles.... if that sheet is rattling on your car, then lucky for you, since it'll be an easy fix.

However, it's been confirmed numerous times that it is the wastegate that is rattling. This can be confirmed by following the Volkswagen America TSB which suggests temporarily placing a "wheel weight" on the wastegate actuator rod to observe whether there is a change in tone or volume of the rattle.

[GTI_Adidas]

Some people have different rattles.... if that sheet is rattling on your car, then lucky for you, since it'll be an easy fix.

However, it's been confirmed numerous times that it is the wastegate that is rattling. This can be confirmed by following the Volkswagen America TSB which suggests temporarily placing a "wheel weight" on the wastegate actuator rod to observe whether there is a change in tone or volume of the rattle.

Wheel weight on actuator rod? What do you mean and how do you do this. And im not sure if it is that sheet of metal that rattles. I just hear it coming from the rear of the car, not really the front or middle/bottom. I hope they fix this stupid rattle in future models.

[Corey_R]

If you have the rattle at the rear of the car, then you've got some other rattle.

As for the wheel weight on the actuator rod... it's in this thread somewhere...

[GTI_Adidas]

If you have the rattle at the rear of the car, then you've got some other rattle.

As for the wheel weight on the actuator rod... it's in this thread somewhere...

Yes, im going to search through 61 pages when u can just tell me what it is

[Corey_R]

I've already told you what it is... they put a wheel weight on the actuator rod! What more do you need to know? You don't have the problem anyway as you've already said it's coming from the rear.

If you did have the problem, then you'd take the time to look through and find one of the multiple times that someone linked to the USA forums which discuss VWoA's TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) on the subject. Or even use the "search this thread function". I'm not here to do all your work for you...

[Sir_GTI]

GTI_ADIDAS,

I actually put the 2 links on this very page, post #603....... 2 posts from the top.

But here it is, again....

Common rattling noise between 2500-3000rpm cause - VW GTI MKVI Forum / VW Golf R Forum / VW Golf MKVI Forum / VW GTI Forum - Golfmk6.com

[GTICam]

Some of my thoughts:

• My GTI has 15000km and still rattles, and it (the rattle) still bugs me.
• Some owners out there also are annoyed by the rattle, some don't have the rattle and some just turn the stereo up to mask the noise.
• The after market tuning wizards, despite their ability to increase the performance of the car, aren't able to solve a "simple" rattle.
• Don't you think it's strange that no motoring writer has commented on the rattle... Not one.
• Did you know that British motoring writer Chris Harris, formerly of Autocar magazine recently slammed Ferrari (on Jalopnik.com) for specially preparing their cars for motoring writers to ensure they are faster than the ones sold to the public.
• Surely VW wouldn't do such a thing?

[furiousgibbon]

I picked up my MY11.5 (i think it's an 11.5) tonight, and yes it rattles. But really, if THIS is the rattle, you all had me worried about nothing. I had to turn the stereo off and listen for it, I swear it's coming from the back of the car under part throttle just as the turbo would be hitting positive boost. I just read the post saying 'if it's from the back of the car it's a different noise', but I find it hard to believe there'd be a similar rattle under the same conditions from a different part of the car...

I always wondered why noone had got a video demonstrating the rattle... no camera would pick it up! I've done a decent amount of Ks tonight with the stereo on and off and didn't notice it again. If this is the same rattle everyone is complaining about, don't hold your breath on VW fixing it.

[Corey_R]

Well... the part which is rattling, is the actuator rod, which is in front of the driver, between the engine and the firewall. So again, if you're hearing a rattle come from the back, chances are you're hearing something else.

There are people who consider the downpipe to be "amplifying" the rattle - but even the downpipe is to the front left (and below) of the driver...

[furiousgibbon]

ok, went up a hill today in D with the stereo off and the windows down, stayed within the 2500-3000 range for more than a few seconds and it's definitely the wastegate actuator rattle. I'd expect to hear this sort of noise from an old Excel with a valvetrain that's kept in time with zipties and blutac.

I can now understand why people are so pissed off. Unfortunately I don't think it will be fixed, the cost would be too high and the effect of not fixing it is probably next to nothing in terms of lost sales/disgruntled customers. That is shortsighted and pretty poor. Ford lost me by denying a single $500 warranty claim, and I'll probably never go back.

The rattle and the popstick sun visors are really the only negatives I can pick from this car, otherwise it's pretty awesome.

[vdubber1212]

Is the rattle really that bad that would put you off buying it if you knew about it? Is it also reported on majority of MY11 or MY11.5? I haven't test driven one yet but I'd want to get the MY11.5 if I could.

[Corey_R]

If you buy a new car today, which isn't floor stock, then it will be a MY11.5 ...

[Guy_H]

Some of my thoughts:

• My GTI has 15000km and still rattles, and it (the rattle) still bugs me.
• Some owners out there also are annoyed by the rattle, some don't have the rattle and some just turn the stereo up to mask the noise.
• The after market tuning wizards, despite their ability to increase the performance of the car, aren't able to solve a "simple" rattle.
• Don't you think it's strange that no motoring writer has commented on the rattle... Not one.
• Did you know that British motoring writer Chris Harris, formerly of Autocar magazine recently slammed Ferrari (on Jalopnik.com) for specially preparing their cars for motoring writers to ensure they are faster than the ones sold to the public.
• Surely VW wouldn't do such a thing?

If someone wants to pay us to come up with a solution - I would do it! I'm pretty sure Volkswagen wont pay us.